Grain-meter



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. FORWARD. GRAIN METER! No. 250,226. Patented Nov. 29,'1881.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. FORWARD.

GRAIN METER;

No. 250,226. Patented Nov. 29,1881.

Witness-es:

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ROSS FORWARD, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

GRAIN-METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,226, dated November 29, 1881.

Application filed May 18, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ross FORWARD, of Oincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Grain-Scales, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification and accompanying drawings, in which-- 7 Figure 1 is a frontelevation. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the upper part. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the front end. Fig. 4. is an enlarged perspective view of the supply-hopper and accompaniments. Fig.5isarearperspectiveview of the stop and trigger. Fig. 6is. an enlarged view of the bucket ear and lug. Fig. 7 is an inside view of the block, showing the groove and lug; and Fig.8 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hopper'chute. v

The object of my invention is to provide a grain-scale so constructed that when once put in motion and fed by grain the gravity of the grain will cause the mechanism to accurately and automatically measure the grain; and it consists of a vertical rod pivoted on one end of a beam and counterbalanced by a weight, the vertical rod having at the upper end a frame which is adapted to slide vertically in grooves, the lower end of the rod passing through a socket to retain itvin a vertical position. A horizontal shaft is journaled in the upper part of the vertically-movable frame, and this shaft carries two buckets having their bases oppo site each other. These buckets turn on the shaft, and are held in position by means of a latch,which releases thebuckets when the pressure of the required amount of grain in the upper bucket causes the bucket to descend, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

It also provides for an effective counter-balance to prevent the buckets from rotating too rapidly, and for an improved cut-oft for the supply-hopper, all of which will now be described in detail.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings, A represents a suitable frame having a floor or base, A. A bracket, A"--,is placed centrally on the floor, through which the lower end of a vertical rod, B, passes. The lower end of this rod rests on ahorizontal balance-beam, B, having a weight, a, at its opposite end and a fulmidway at O.

(No model.)

crum-post, B, near the vertical rod B. A weighing-beam, G, is also attached to the rod B by means of a connecting-lever, C, fulcrumed A sliding weight, b, on this weighing-beam is designed to indicate the amount of grain in each bucket, as will be more fully referred to hereinafter.

The vertical rod B carries a frame which is composed of the base-pieces D, having at each end a triangular-shaped frame, D, projecting upward. Standards 0, secured to the plates d, are provided on the inner side with vertical grooves E and lugs E, projecting from the sides of the frames D, slide in these grooves. It will thus be observed that the vertical rod B and the frame surmounting it are capable of vertical motion only.

' A horizontal shaft, F, is journaled transversely across at the apex of the frames D, and this shaft carries centrally two buckets, G G, the former of which rests on the shaft in an upright position,- and the latter inverted, hanging to the shaft. These buckets are placed on the shaft either tilting forward, or they may be placed slightly to one side of their centers, as shown, so that when the buckets are released from the latch they will move forward, or in one direction only. The shaft F is also provided, at one side of these buckets, with asand-box, F. This is preferably made in the form of an hour-glass, or provided with enlarged portions above and below the shaft, and having a neck or reduced part, F, between, communicating, so that the sand, shot, or other analogous material in the box will pass gradually through from one part to, the other. The momentum imparted by the falling of the loaded bucket would cause the buckets to make several revolutions or impinge with great force on the stop if the mo tion were not retarded and kept in checkby this counter-balance. This box, therefore, is so loaded, in proportion to the weight in the bucket, as to leave just force enough to reach the perpendicular. The motion of the sand gradually trickling through while the buckets are moving permits this. The retarding motion secured by the sand-box could also be effected by movable balls on a fixed rod upon the shaft or by shot in a cylinder; but the preferable v means I consider to be sand contained in a box,

ICC

as shown,because of its more gradual and nonjarring movement. The sand, passing down gradually as it assumes the upright position, is again in the extreme lower end of the box, ready to serve the same purpose when the next bucket is ready to dump.

The upper ends of the buckets are each provided with a lug, H, inclined below, as shown. This lug is designed to strike the stop I, pro jecting down from the frame I. A vertically-movable trigger, J, secured to this stop, is provided at the lower end with a hook, J, the upper surface of which is also sloping toward the stop I, to correspond with the sloping under surface of the lug H.

The frame I carries the supply hopper or chute K, constructed in any desired shape; but I prefer the form shown, in which the upper part is enlarged and a curved chute below extending somewhat forward. The forward face of the hopper, K ,is somewhat shorter than the rear face, K. Below the mouth of this hopper, and resting between or on suitable rollers, L, is ahorizontally-movabletable,M. Thistableconstitutes the cut-off plate under the chute, and is adapted to open and close the mouth of the hopper.

A cross -shaft, N, jourualed across the forward end of the hopper, carries at its forward end a bell-crank lever, 0, one end of which is designed to act between a staple or guide, 0, secured to the table M, and the other lever or end is connected by a rod, 0, with the trigger J. The opposite end of the cross-shaft N has a downwardly-projecting lever, N, whose' lower end also works between staples or guards P, secured to the table M, and also secured between these guides is the upper end of an arm or lever fulcrumed to the beam Q. The lower end of this lever is adapted to act against the wiper-wheel It, secured to the rear end of the shaft F.

It will he observed, by reference to Fig. 8, that the forward side, K, of the chute is shorter than the rear side, K, so that while the rear side touches the moving out off plate M the front side is a short distance above it. The object of this is to prevent the grain in the chute from being cut when the front edge of the cut-off plate passes the side K in closing the throat of the chute.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The weight a on the lever B is adjusted so that it will exactly counterbalance the weight of the rod 13 with the frame D D, buckets G G, and the sand-box F, as well as the weight required to trip the trigger Jby drawing it down below the end of the stop I. The weight bis then adjusted on the scalebeam 0, so as to register the amount of grain it is desired to place in reach of the buckets G G. When, therefore, the upper bucket receives the requisite amount of grain, it moves downward in the grooved block 0, bringing with it the trigger J, and this trigger being connected by means of the bell-crank lever O with the cutoff plate M, the plate is moved under the mouth of the chute, as shown in Fig. 4, and the flow of grain stopped. The lug H on the ears of the buckets having meanwhile passed below the lower end of the stop I, and the upper face of the hook J being in the direction of the forward tilt of the buckets, the bucket begins to revolve and is emptied in its revolution. The grain being removed from the bucket, the weights again assert th eirsupremacyand move the buckets upward to their original position.

It will be observed that during the progress ofthe revolution of the buckets the cut-off plate prevents the grain from passing out the supply-hopper. Thisis accomplished by the wiperwheel R, which strikes the lever Q, causing it to open the cut-offplate. Fig.2 represents one end of the wiper-wheel having the end of the lever, and Fig. 4 the end of the wiper-wheel about to strike the lever for the purpose of pushing back the cut-off plate M.

Referring to the counter-balance F, I am aware that it is not new to employ a weight or balanceinthisconnection; butlhavenoknowledge that the device here described is substantially shown by any previous patent. Sand, shot, or other analogous material is placed in the counter-balance F, so that as it rotates this material will trickle or fall gradually through the throat of the counter-balance from one end to the other, thus preventing a jarring force or sudden concussion, and hence is not the equivalent of either a solid sliding reciprocating weight or an immovable counterpoise or weight.

Having described my invention,what I claim isl. In a grain-scale, a counterpoise secured on the revolving shaft to which the buckets are attached, which consists in an oblong chamber extending in opposite directions from the shaft and having a throat communication, the said chamber being partially filled with sand, shot, or other analogous material, so that during the period of revolution the contents of the chamber will gradually pass from one end to the other, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination ofa vertical shaft or rod, B, pivoted on a balance-beam, B, connected with a weighing-lever, U, and with a surmountin g frame, D D, having the cross-shaft F, carrying the buckets G G, and the counter-balance F, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. A horizontally-movable cut-oft plate, ill, for the supply-hopper, in combination with the mouth of the hopper, having the front edge, K, a slight distance above the face of the cutoff plate, and the rear edge, K, close to the plate, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A horizontally-movable cutoff plate for the supply-hopper, having the bell-crank lever O, in combination with the stop I, having the sliding latch J, and with the revolving buckets G G, having the lugs H, as herein set forth.

5. A horizontally-movable cut-off plate for the supply-hopper,havingthebell-crank levers M, the bell-crank levers, the stop I, and the O, shaft N, and. lever N, in combination with sliding latch J, cross shaft N, and lever N, to the lever Q and wiper-wheel R on the shaft F, with the lever Q, all operating as and for the carrying the revolving buckets substantially purpose set forth.

5 as shown. ROSS FORWARD.

6. Avertieal shaft, F, having the wiper-Wheel Witnesses: R, and buckets G G, having the lugs H,in com- J. S. ZERBE, bination with the horizontally-movable plate 0. J. BAILEY. 

